Mr. Prospector

Mr. Prospector (January 28, 1970 – June 1, 1999) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who became an outstanding breeding stallion and notable sire of sires. A sprinter whose career was cut short by repeated injuries, he won seven of his 14 starts, including the Gravesend Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack and the Whirlaway Handicap at Garden State Park.

Mr. Prospector began his stallion career in Florida as a regional sire. He proved so successful that he was moved to Kentucky where he became a leading sire and later a leading broodmare sire. His descendants have dominated the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing for several decades and his impact on Thoroughbred bloodlines is felt worldwide.

BackgroundEdit

Mr. Prospector was a bay stallion who was bred in Kentucky by Leslie Combs II, the owner of Spendthrift Farm. His sire was Raise a Native, a son of Native Dancer. Raise a Native was brilliantly fast but unsound, going undefeated in four races at age two before injury. Raise a Native became a notable sire but tended to pass on his "heavy-topped" build and other conformation issues associated with unsoundness.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> By contrast, Mr. Prospector's dam, Gold Digger, was a multiple stakes winning mare known for her toughness and durability. A daughter of Nashua, Gold Digger was from a highly distinguished female family tracing back to champion racemare and "blue hen" Myrtlewood.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Mr. Prospector was the highest-priced horse at the 1971 Keeneland July sale of selected yearlings, selling to A. I. "Butch" Savin for $220,000 (equivalent to $Template:Inflation million in Template:Inflation-year).<ref name=Sparkman>Template:Cite news</ref> "Mr. P", as he came to be known, raced for owner Savin under his nom de course, Aisco Stable. The colt was trained by Jimmy Croll, a future Hall of Fame member who went on to train Holy Bull.<ref name=Sparkman16Jan2010>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

At maturity, he reached Template:Hands high.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He had excellent hindquarters and strong hind legs, but his right forefront was turned-out and his knees were offset, making him vulnerable to injury.<ref name=ACP />

Racing careerEdit

Mr. Prospector raced at the same time as Hall of Fame members Secretariat and Forego. Though not of their class, he was the top-ranked sprinter of 1974 on the Daily Racing Form's Free Handicap.<ref name="ACP">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Mr. Prospector did not race at age two,<ref name="Forego">Template:Cite news</ref> but won his first two starts at age three with "ridiculous ease" before being sidelined by illness. He returned on April 1, 1973, in a six-furlong allowance race at Gulfstream Park, which he won by nine lengths. The time of 1:07Template:Frac was a new track record and was only two-fifths of a second off the American record.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He next entered the Calumet Purse on April 17, 1973. In his first start at a distance of more than seven furlongs, he took the early lead but faded in the final quarter-mile to finish third.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He next entered the Derby Trial on May 2 as the heavy favorite but finished second after a troubled start.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This was his last start at age three.<ref name=Forego />

On February 25, 1974, Mr. Prospector finished third in the Paumonok Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack as the 1-2 favorite. The crowd reportedly responded to the loss by booing jockey Walter Blum "like rutting moose".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He then ran second in the Royal Poinciana on March 6 at Hialeah to Lonetree, who set a track record for seven furlongs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On April 20, Mr. Prospector won the Whirlaway Handicap at Garden State Racetrack, setting a track record of 1:08Template:Frac for six furlongs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He then entered the Carter Handicap at Belmont Park on May 18, where he finished second to eventual Horse of the Year Forego.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He then finished fourth at the favorite in a turf race, a surface with which the colt was unfamiliar.<ref name=Gravesend>Template:Cite news</ref>

Mr. Prospector returned to the winner's circle in the Gravesend Handicap, held on June 19 at Belmont Park. As the second choice in a field of eight, he settled in second place behind Lonetree, then pulled away to win by five lengths.<ref name=Gravesend /> Mr. Prospector made what would prove his final start on July 4 in the Firecracker Handicap, finishing second.<ref name=EquibaseProfile /> Shortly afterwards, he fractured a sesamoid bone and was retired.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Stud careerEdit

Mr. Prospector retired to stud in 1975 at Aisco Farm near Ocala, Florida. As a regional sire with limited support, he exceeded expectations when he became North America's leading freshman sire of 1978. In 1980, he was relocated to historic Claiborne Farm in Kentucky.<ref name=ACP /> He became an outstanding sire, leading the North American general sire list in 1978 and 1979. From 1,195 named foals, he sired 182 stakes winners (15.1%). Although primarily known for the success of his offspring on the dirt in North America, he also was a top-ten sire for several years in Europe.<ref name=ACP />

Mr. Prospector sired one winner of each of the Triple Crown races, a feat his grandson, Unbridled, also accomplished. His Triple Crown race winners were 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus; 1985 Preakness Stakes winner Tank's Prospect; and 1982 Belmont Stakes winner and American Horse of the Year Conquistador Cielo. Mr. Prospector's bloodline has been highly influential in the top echelons of Thoroughbred racing. All eight horses entered into the 2015 Belmont Stakes were descendants, through their sires, of Mr. Prospector.<ref name=EquinelineMubtaahij>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=EquinelineTaleofVerve>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=EquinelineMadefromlucky>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=EquinelineFrammento>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=EquinelineAmericanPharoah>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=EquinelineFrosted>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=EquinelineKeenIce>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=EquinelineMateriality>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Similarly, all of the horses in the 2018 Kentucky Derby were descendants of Mr. Prospector.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Mr. Prospector's stud fee, even without the guarantee of a live foal, peaked at $460,000 in the early and mid-1980s. By March 1994 he was still commanding fees of $170,000-$180,000 even though the market had suffered a downturn.<ref name=Sparkman16Jan2010/> During breeding season, he was often able to "cover" two mares in one day.<ref name=Searcy1994>Template:Cite news</ref> Mr. Prospector was jointly owned by a 40-member syndicate.<ref name=Searcy1994/>

On June 1, 1999, Mr. Prospector died in his stall of complications from colic at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. He was buried between Nijinsky and Secretariat.

Major winnersEdit

Mr. Prospector's Grade/Group One winners are shown in the table below.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The majority raced in North America on the dirt. However, he also had several significant winners in Europe who established more turf-oriented branches of the sire line.

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

Foaled	Name	Sex	Major Wins
1976	It's In The Air	f	Alabama Stakes, Ruffian Handicap, Vanity Handicap
1977	Fappiano	c	Metropolitan Handicap, Forego Handicap
1977	Hello Gorgeous	c	William Hill Futurity
1978	Miswaki	c	Prix de la Salamandre
1979	Conquistador Cielo	c	Belmont Stakes, Metropolitan Handicap
1979	Gold Beauty	f	Test Stakes
1980	Eillo	c	Breeders' Cup Sprint
1981	Procida	c	Prix de la Forêt, Hollywood Derby
1982	Tank's Prospect	c	Preakness Stakes
1983	Mogambo	c	Champagne Stakes
1984	Afleet	c	Jerome Handicap, Canadian Horse of the Year
1984	Chic Shirine	f	Ashland Stakes
1984	Gone West	c	Dwyer Stakes
1984	Gulch	c	Hopeful Stakes, Belmont Futurity, Wood Memorial, Metropolitan Handicap, Breeders' Cup Sprint
1984	Jade Hunter	c	Gulfstream Park Handicap, Donn Handicap
1984	Mining	c	Vosburgh Stakes
1985	Classic Crown	f	Frizette Stakes, Gazelle Handicap
1985	Forty Niner	c	Champagne Stakes
1985	Over All	f	Spinaway Stakes, Matron Stakes
1985	Ravinella	f	1000 Guineas, Cheveley Park Stakes
1985	Seeking The Gold	c	Super Derby, Dwyer Stakes
1986	Fantastic Find	f	Hempstead Handicap
1986	Quena	f	Ballerina Stakes, Maskette Stakes, Ruffian Handicap
1986	Tersa	f	Prix Morny
1987	Jade Robbery	c	Grand Critérium
1987	Machiavellian	c	Prix de la Salamandre, Prix Djebel
1988	Lycius	c	Middle Park Stakes
1988	Rhythm	c	Breeders' Cup Juvenile, Travers Stakes
1988	Scan	c	Jerome Handicap
1989	Preach	f	Frizette Stakes
1989	Prospectors Delite	f	Acorn Stakes, Ashland Stakes
1990	Educated Risk	f	Frizette Stakes, Top Flight Handicap
1990	Kingmambo	c	Poule d'Essai des Poulains, St. James's Palace Stakes, Prix du Moulin de Longchamp
1990	Miner's Mark	c	Jockey Club Gold Cup
1991	Coup de Genie	f	Prix Morny, Prix de la Salamandre
1991	Distant View	c	Sussex Stakes
1992	Macoumba	c	Prix Marcel Boussac
1992	Smart Strike	c	Philip H. Iselin Handicap
1993	Golden Attraction	c	Spinaway Stakes, Frizette Stakes, Matron Stakes
1993	Ta Rib	f	Poule d'Essai des Pouliches
1995	Chester House	c	Arlington Million
1997	Fusaichi Pegasus	c	Kentucky Derby
1997	Scatter the Gold	c	Queen's Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes
1997	Traditionally	c	Oaklawn Handicap
1998	Aldeberan	c	Metropolitan Handicap, Forego Handicap
1998	Dancethruthedawn	f	Woodbine Oaks, Queen's Plate, Go For Wand Handicap

Influence on the American Triple CrownEdit

Mr. Prospector's male-line descendants have had great success in the American Triple Crown races, primarily through his sons Fappiano, Forty Niner and Smart Strike who themselves became sires of sires.

Mr. Prospector’s lineage can be found in every American Triple Crown race winner from 2012 onward, with the last horse not to contain lineage through Mr. Prospector was 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. His lineage extends even further back for the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, as he appears in every pedigree from 2009 onward for those two legs of the triple crown races.

The family tree below lists only the winners descended in the male line.

Template:Tree list